1989 JAGUAR XJR11
CHASSIS# 289
WITH THE V12 JAGUARS NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH SPEED ADVANCES IN 1989 THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW XJR11 V5 TWIN TURBO MARKS AN IMPORTANT CHANGE IN JAGUAR HISTORY. IN NEED OF SPEED THE XJR11'S DEBUT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD AND ALONG WITH CHASSIS 189, NO. 289 DEBUTED AT BRANDS HATCH ON JULY 23RD 1989. IMMEDIATELY THE CARS WERE ULTRA RAPID AND JAGUAR TOOK POLE ON THE GRID. CHASSIS 289 WAS DEBUTED BY ALAIN FERTE AND DAVY JONES. NURBURGRING AUG 29TH 1989, DRIVEN BY NEILSEN AND WALLACE TO FIFTH POSITION DESPITE HAVING TO SLOW DOWN TO CONSERVE FUEL. DUE TO CHANGES IN RULES, USE OF THE XJR11'S IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ENDED IN 1990, DURING THEIR SHORT HISTORY THE CARS PROVED TO BE ULTRA RAPID BUT A LITTLE THIRSTY FOR FUEL. CHASSIS 289 WAS LAST RACED AT MONZA 29TH APRIL 1980 (MONZA SCRTINEERING PASS STILL PRESENT ON CHASSIS). IN THE HANDS OF LAMMERS/WALLACE THEY QUALIFIED THIRD IN LM30.927 SECS. (FASTEST RACE LAP LM33.426 SECS). DESPITE BEING BUMPED OFF IN THE RACE BY THE MERCEDES C11 OF MASS AND HAVING TO STOP TO FIX A LOOSE NOSE CONE, CHASSIS 289 WAS BROUGHT HOME IN FOURTH POSITION. OPPORTUNITY TO OWN ANY JAGUAE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ENDURANCE RACE CAR IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL. RULE CHANGES SHORTENED THE XJR11'S CAREER AND VERY FEW WERE PRODUCED, THEREFORE, BESIDES BEING A SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT PART OF THE JAGUARS HISTORY
THE XJR11 IS ALSO VERY RARE INDEED.